Curtain hanger



Nov. 20, 1945. D PRAGGAS'HQ 2,389,546

CURTAIN HANGER Filed Oct. 15, 1945 ZShets-Sheet 1 JOHN D. PRAGGASTIS INVENTOR ATTORNEYS BY W W- Nov. 20,1945. J. D, PRAGGASTIS 2,389,546

CURTAIN HANGER Filed Oct. 15, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet z JOHN D. PRAGGASTIS INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 20, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CURTAIN HANGER John D. Praggastis, Milwaukie, Oreg.

Application October 15, 1943, Serial No. 506,363 4 Claims. (01. 211 -1051) This invention relates to curtain hangers, curtain rods, and associated means for supporting curtains, draperies and the like, and, in particular, for supporting ordinary thin window curtains at the inside of windows.

Curtain hangers commonly used for this purpose include rods made in the form of metal tubes adapted to be mounted at the ends on supporting brackets. Such metal rods or tubes not only require metal for their manufacture but also have an objectionable feature in that the edges of the same have a tendency to catch on the threads of thin curtain material when the rods are run through the top hems during the placing of the curtains in position.

One ofthe objects of the present invention is to provide a simple, practical curtain hanger in which a solid one-piece rod of wood or other suitable cheap material will take the place of the usual metal tubing or rod.

Another object of the invention is to combine a wooden curtain rod with supporting end brackets which are easily formed of wire or similar material, and which, unlike the customary heavy brackets for wooden curtain poles, will be 6 small, inconspicuous, and capable of being entirely covered by the hem of the curtain.

A further object of this invention is to provide an inexpensive curtain hanger comprising wooden curtain rod and end supports in which the rod j can be manufactured in any convenient maximum length and then cut down to the desired length corresponding to the width of the window to be covered without requiring any further changes of the rod.

These objects and incidental advantages I attain by making my hanger, including the wooden curtain rod and end supporting brackets, in the manner hereinafter briefly described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an isometric view of my improved ourtain hanger shown in position on a window frame;

Fig. 2 is an inverted isometric view of the'curtain rod alone, drawn to a larger scale;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of one end of 'the'curtain rod, showing the relation of the supporting member thereto;

Fig. 4 is a sectional end elevation of the rod and supporting member, corresponding to line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the curtain hanger, showing the use of a slightly modified form of end supporting member for the curtain rod;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan elevation of the curtain hanger illustrating another modified form in which the supporting member for the end of the curtain rod may be made;

Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the end of the hanger shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is an isometric view of a supporting bracket for the end of the curtain rod, the bracket being similar to that shown in Fig. 1 except that it is adapted for being attached to the window casing by a screw; and

Fig. 9 is a still further modified form of supporting bracket which is adapted for use at either end of the curtain rod.

Referring first to Fig. 1, my curtain hanger comprises a rod l0, preferably made of wood, which is held in spaced relation to the top panel 40 of the window frame by a pair of end supporting members or brackets H and I 2. The rod In is preferably oval in lateral cross section, as shown in Fig. 4, and a semi-circular groove l3 extends longitudinally along the lower edge. The ends of the rod may be out 01f square or may be rounded, or either or both may be chamfered oil from the sides and top to facilitate the passing of the curtain through the hem at the top of the curtain when the curtain is being placed on the rod.

The supporting member or bracket H for the left hand end of the rod H), as viewed in Fig. 1, is formed of a piece of heavy wire and includes a main shank portion I! which has a sharpened end to facilitate the driving of the end into the window frame. The shank should be of suitable length to permit the sharpened end to be driven far enough into the window frame to provide a firm hold and to enable the rod In to be spaced the desired distance from the front face of the window frame panel. At the outer end of the main shank portion ll of the bracket a leg [8 extends downwardly, its length being substantially equal to the height of the rod 10. An arm IQ of the bracket extends horizontally from the bottom of the leg [8 towards the rod II] at right angles to the shank portion IT. This portion of the bracket is shown more clearly in Fig, 3. The arm l9 terminates in an upturned finger 20. The supporting member or bracket l2 for the other end of the rod I 0 (Fig, 1) is identical to the bracket ll except that the lower arm [9' extends in the opposite direction below the other end of the rod l o as shown. 7 i

A hole l4, formed in the rod I0 near the left hand end (as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2), extends upwardly from the bottom groove I3 partially through the rod to accommodate the upturned finger 20 of the bracket H. Thus the end of the groove I3 and the hole H of the rod l engage the arm i9 and finger 20 respectively of the bracket as shown in Fig. 3. Similarly the corresponding parts of the other bracket I2 (Fig. l) are engaged by the other end of the groove 13 and a hole (Fig. 2) spaced an equal distance from the other end of the rod. As will be apparent from Fig. 3, this engagement between rod and bracket at each end Of the rod supports the rod firmly, the engagement of the upturned finger 20 of each bracket with the corresponding hole in the rod preventing any tendency of the bracket to rotate on the axis of its main shank portion ll. However, the rod l0 can easily be lifted from the end brackets when the rod is to be removed or the curtain taken down.

As will be apparent from Figs. 1 and 3, when the curtain has been placed on the rod I'll and the rod has been set in position on the end brackets. the edges of the curtain can easily be slid over far enough to cover the brackets and ends of the rod should this be desired. Even when this is not done the brackets will hardly be noticeable since they are relatively small and only part of the brackets can be seen.

In order to facilitate the cutting down of the length of the rod when it is desired for use on a narrower window I provide a plurality oi equally spaced holes l6 inwardly from one end of the rod, for example at the right hand end in Fig. 2, extending upward from the groove l3 in exactly the same manner as th holes I4 and I5 previously described. As shown in Fig. 2, the space between these holes [6, and the space between the first hole l6 and the hole I5, is approximately equal to the distance of the o e f5 from the adjacent end of the rod. In other words, this spacing is slightly greater than the length of the arm IQ of the end bracket I2. When the rod is to be shortened all that is necessary is to cut off the end of the rod through one of the holes l5 or IE reducing the rod to approximately the desired length. When the brackets H and ii are set in place and the shortened rod set on the brackets the upturned finger of the bracket l2 will engage the hole It nearest the cut-Off end. Since the groove l3 .extends along the bottom edge of the rod, no further forming of the cutoff end is necessary and the arm I 9' of the bracket I2 is engaged by the groove 13 in the usual manner.

In Fig. 5 I show a slight modification which may be made in the forming .of the supporting brackets- In this modified bracket the shank 2| is partially bent back upon itself as shown at 22 before forming the downwardly-extending leg 4 I. This portion 2?. makes a head for the bracket which facilitates the driving. of the sharpened end of the shank into the window casing since this head can be hit with the hammer without danger of the bracket becoming deformed. In all other respects the bracket is the same as previously described.

In the modified form of bracket shown in Fi 6 and 7 the shank 23 is curved instead of being made straight. When the curtain is slid over onto the bracket the outsid edge of the curtain is turned back towards the window, due to the curvature of the shank 23. This enables the edge of the curtain to be concealed from view and may give a more pleasing appearance under certain conditions.

Instead of having a sharpened point on the, end of the shank and driving the same into the window casing, as previously described, the end of the shank may be threaded like any ordinary screw and thus enable the bracket to be screwed into the window casing. The shank may also be arranged so as to be held in place by a separate screw which in turn is secured to the easing. Thus in Fig. 8 the shank 25 of the bracket is formed with the loop 26 at its end. A screw 21, the diameter of the head of which is larger than the inside diameter of the loop 26, is inserted in the loop and screwed into the casin as shown, thus holding the bracket in place on the window casing.

Another modified manner in which the supporting bracket may be made is illustrated in Fig. 9. In this bracket the shank portion 30 .may be in the form of an ordinary finish nail having a small head 3|. A yoke member 33 has an upper sleeve 32 through which the shank 30 is inserted. A second sleeve 35, carried by the yoke member 33, arranged perpendicular to the sleeve 32, rotatably holds the leg portion 34 of the bracket which similarly has a small head" to keep it from slipping through the sleeve 35. The horizontal arm 36 and upturned finger 31 are disposed in the same relation to the leg 34 as in the brackets previously described. While this bracket is less simple in construction than the one-piece brackets of Fig. 1 it has the ad-- vantage that it may be used for either end of the rod since the rod-engaging arm and finger may be swung in either direction as indicated by the broken line position in Fig. 9.

Although the rod Ill might be made without the bottom groove 13, either extending the entire length of the rod or located at each end of the rod, I consider that it is much better to have the rod grooved as shown since, in any form in which the bracket is made, the engagement of the horizontal arm portion of the bracket with the groove affords a better anchorage and hides more of the bracket from View. And I have found it much more convenient to form the rod with the groove extending the entire length instead of grooving each of the rod ends separately.

Obviously many other variations may be made in the form and construction of the end supporting brackets for the rod without departing from the principle of my invention. All that is necessary in the carrying out of my invention is that the bracket should have a leg portion, corresponding in general to the leg H3 in Figs. 1, 3 or 8, a horizontal arm portion, corresponding to the arm 19, for engaging the bottom of the rod, and an upturned finger at the end of the arm for engaging a hole in the rod as described.

While I have. described my device as a curtain hanger it might also be made to be used as a towel rack or for other similar purposes.

I claim:

1. A curtain hanger of the character described comprising, a wooden curtain rod, said rod having a groove extending longitudinally along the bottom edge, a bracket support for each end of said rod, each of said bracket supportsincluding a downwardly extending leg portion, the height of said leg portion being equal approximately to the height of the rod, an arm extending from the bottom of said leg portion and adapted to be engaged by the bottom groove of said rod, and an upturned finger at the end of said arm, said rod having a hole near each end extending upwardly into said rod from said bottom groove; said holes adapted to engage the upturned fingers respectively of the bracket supports, the distance of each of said holes from the corresponding end of the rod being substantially equal to the length of said bracket support arm, a series of similar holes arranged in said rod and located progressively inwardly from one of said first mentioned holes, the spaces between said holes being substantially equal to the length of said bracket support arm, and means for mounting each of said bracket supports.

2. A curtain hanger of the character described comprising, a, curtain rod, said rod having a groove extending longitudinally along the bottom edge at each end of the rod, a bracket support for each end of said rod, each of said bracket supports including a. downwardly extending leg portion, an arm extending from the bottom of said leg portion and adapted to be engaged by the bottom groove of said rod, and an upturned finger at the end of said arm, said rod having a hole near each end extending upwardly into said rod from said bottom groove, said holes adapted to engage the upturned fingers respectively of the bracket supports, the distance of each of said holes from th corresponding end of the rod being substantially equal to the length of said bracket support arm, and means for mounting each of said bracket supports.

3. In a device of the character described, a wooden rod, said rod having a groove extending longitudinally along the bottom edge for the entire length of the rod, a bracket support for each end of said rod, each of said bracket supports having an arm and an upturned finger at the end of said arm, said rod having a hole near each end extending upwardly into said rod from said bottom groove, said holes adapted to engage the upturned fingers respectively of the bracket supports, the distance of each of said holes from the corresponding end of the rod being substantially equal to the length of said bracket support arm, and a series of similar holes arranged in said rod and located progressively inwardly from one of said first mentioned holes, the spaces between said holes being substantially equal to the length of said bracket support arm.

4. In a curtain hanger, a curtain rod, said rod having a groove extending longitudinally along the bottom edge, a bracket support for each end of said rod, each of said bracket supports'including a downwardly extending leg portion, the height of said leg portion being equal approximately to the height of the rod, an arm extending from the bottom of said leg portion and adapted to be engaged by the bottom groove of said rod, and an upturned finger at the end of said arm, said rod having a hole near each end extending upwardly into said rod from said bottom groove, said holes adapted to engage the upturned fingers respectively of the bracket supports, the distance of each of said holes from the corresponding end of the rod being substantially equal to the length of said bracket support arm, and means for mounting each of said bracket supports.

JOHN D. PRAGGASTIS. 

